# Orca or Killer Whale?



## Mad MOAI (Nov 12, 2008)

So.

Which one do you prefer the reverse-cow-colored marine mammal to be called by?

I prefer "killer whale." It's more... fun. Cool. Whatever the aspect of "killer" is.


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## o_O (Nov 12, 2008)

Orca. For the sake of being scientifically correct :D
(My friend calls them "Shamus" *Facepalm*)


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## Old Catch (Nov 12, 2008)

Orca. Because the aren't whales or killers.


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## Dragonclaw (Nov 12, 2008)

Killer Whale. Orca sounds lame, and like a porpoise.

EDIT: Actually, I'm indifferent to Orca. I just prefer Killer Whale.


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## Nope (Nov 12, 2008)

Orca. Not a whale, not a killer. It's harmless, unless you harm it.


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## Dark Shocktail (Nov 12, 2008)

Orca I prefer. They're definately more closely related to dolphins then to whales. 

Although when I was little, I did call them Shamu after a trip to Sea World...and I still hvae my plush Orca/Shamu XP


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## Time Psyduck (Nov 12, 2008)

Orca.
Just sounds better.
Yet I actually use Killer Whale fairly often (when those animals are on my mind) as well.


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## Not Meowth (Nov 12, 2008)

Killer Whale.

Makes 'em sound badass >=3


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## Murkrow (Nov 12, 2008)

Never so much as heard of the word Orca.
Except the name of that guy from Wind Waker.

Killer Whale.


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## ___urnamz2longfixit___ (Nov 12, 2008)

Orca. Reminds me of Lord of the Rings and doesn't sound like a villain out of Batman.


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## S.K (Nov 12, 2008)

Orca, same reasons as above


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## Zeph (Nov 12, 2008)

Bakuphoon said:


> Orca. Not a whale, not a killer. It's harmless, unless you harm it.


That.



Dark Shocktail said:


> Orca I prefer. They're definately more closely related to dolphins then to whales.


No, they _are_ dolphins.


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## opaltiger (Nov 12, 2008)

> Never so much as heard of the word Orca.


_What._

What kind of society do you live in? :(


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## Murkrow (Nov 12, 2008)

opaltiger said:


> _What._
> 
> What kind of society do you live in? :(


It's not exactly an everyday subject.


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## opaltiger (Nov 12, 2008)

Murkrow said:


> It's not exactly an everyday subject.


But but but did you never watch silly animal documentaries as a kid? ;;


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## Espeon (Nov 12, 2008)

Generally I vary between the two depending on who I'm talking to. I'd be more inclined to use orca now, I think


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## goldenquagsire (Nov 12, 2008)

Orca's probably more correct, and I'd use it if I needed to do a big scientific project on stuff (though why this would involve orcas eludes me), but in everyday speech, Killer Whale sounds more awesome and would elicit fewer "whats?"


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## Murkrow (Nov 12, 2008)

opaltiger said:


> But but but did you never watch silly animal documentaries as a kid? ;;


No, even if I did, it was so long ago that I either wasn't actually listening and was just watching the big animals, or just I can't remember anything that they said.


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## Ayame (Nov 12, 2008)

Both....  But I like the name orca better.  It sounds more graceful; killer whale paints them as fiendish monsters that strike down harmless passerby.
And also as whales.


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## Dannichu (Nov 12, 2008)

To the people who say they aren't killers: have you seen what they do to to seals? Those things are _nasty._

I just say killer whales. Everyone does, so you kinda sound pretentious if you call them orcas. It's like calling conkers horse chestnuts.


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## opaltiger (Nov 12, 2008)

> Everyone does, so you kinda sound pretentious if you call them orcas.


What ?_? most people I know who speak English say orca, and it's never struck me as pretentious (plus I also know many people who say horse chestnuts?).


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## Minish (Nov 12, 2008)

I've never even heard of 'orca'. @_@

So yeah, killer whale. Besides, I always thought that name sounded really awesome.


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## Dannichu (Nov 12, 2008)

Maybe it's a regional thing; I mean a few people on here said that they've never heard anyone say "orca" and a couple more say they use "killer whale" simply because that way it won't confuse people. 

But "Let's play horse chestnuts!"? I can't imagine anywhere where that wouldn't sound stupid XD


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## Zhorken (Nov 12, 2008)

I'm pretty sure I'd get strange looks from everyone over the age of 6 if I said "killer whale".
Also a conker is only a conker if it's being used to conk.


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## Spoon (Nov 12, 2008)

You know that orcas are called killer whales because they're known to attack and seperate a whale from its pod, normally younger ones, well, kill them >: (You can tell that I watch National Geographic too often.) Some marine mammals are very sickening in their behavior, and I'd rather not go into detail.

 That all said I prefer the term orca, as to killer whale, because I'm just sort of used to it.


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## Vyraura (Nov 12, 2008)

Whale Killer would be the most accurate, I suppose. They _are_ vicious.


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## eevee_em (Nov 12, 2008)

I like the name orca better, but I useally call them killer whales because that's what everyone else around here calls them.

Weird, orca is not in Firefox's dictionary.


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## Storm Earth and Fire (Nov 12, 2008)

Killer whale. I learned that The World sent Orca into a coma before I learned that orca referred to the same thing as killer whale. Besides, killer whale sounds like 'common folks' language, whereas orca sounds closer to snooty talk. Which is fine if I need to sound scientifically snooty.


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## Jason-Kun (Nov 12, 2008)

Neither. I call them Killer Orcas. But since that's not a choice, Killer Whale it is.


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## Crazy Linoone (Nov 13, 2008)

I usually call then Killer Whales, mainly because people probably won't know what I'm talking about if I say "Orcas". I prefer Orca though, because orcas are not whales.


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## ZimD (Nov 13, 2008)

Orca. They are not whales. They are not killers.


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## Dewgong (Nov 13, 2008)

Orca.


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## Zeph (Nov 13, 2008)

Crazy Linoone said:


> I usually call then Killer Whales, mainly because people probably won't know what I'm talking about if I say "Orcas". I prefer Orca though, because orcas are not whales.


Actually, ignore my old post. This si true for me.



Zim Del Invasor said:


> Orca. They are not whales. They are not killers.


...Unfortunately, however awesome they are, they _do_ kill lots of things.


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## Scout (Nov 13, 2008)

Killer whale. =:P

I like it.


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## ultraviolet (Nov 13, 2008)

> They are not killers.


Uh hello, they're _carnivores_. Go sit in a Killer Whale's mouth and tell me they aren't killers.

Uh, Killer Whale. I always figured 'Orca' was an American thing (nobody says 'Orca' in Australia) but I guess not. Besides, 'Orca' sounds like a bird call or something.


OR-CA! OR-CAAAA!


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## opaltiger (Nov 13, 2008)

> nobody says 'Orca' in Australia


what no nobody says killer whale in Australia!


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## Dragonclaw (Nov 14, 2008)

I've literally only seen a Killer Whale called Orca in a little kids book, where it was also saying how it was a whale and how it kills lots of things, like seals, squids, and even turtles, sea birds and other whales. 

And how are Killer Whales not Whales? o_O

(Why do I always remember these things later?)


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## opaltiger (Nov 14, 2008)

> And how are Killer Whales not Whales? o_O


uh, the same way dolphins aren't whales?


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## Minish (Nov 14, 2008)

This is really weird. I never even knew orca was another name for killer whale. XD


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## @lex (Nov 14, 2008)

Orcas. It's the correct term, I guess. And it's a lot easier to say :P


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## Lucas₇₅₅ (Nov 14, 2008)

I like the sound of Orca more than Killer Whale.
But I use Killer Whale. It makes _so_ much more sense when watching George Carlin.


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## Dragonclaw (Nov 15, 2008)

Doesn't Orcinus Orca mean Whale from Hell though? It doesn't really make that much difference.


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## ultraviolet (Nov 16, 2008)

Tbh for ages I thought Orcas and Killer Whales were different animals. Then I got older.


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## ZimD (Nov 16, 2008)

ultraviolet said:


> Uh hello, they're _carnivores_. Go sit in a Killer Whale's mouth and tell me they aren't killers.


Killer, at least to me, just sounds like they are a vicious animal, which they aren't. Some animals eat other animals, it doesn't make them a killer. Put a dead cow fried up into a patty in front of me and I'll eat it, but I don't think of myself as a killet.


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## ultraviolet (Nov 16, 2008)

> Killer, at least to me, just sounds like they are a vicious animal, which they aren't. Some animals eat other animals, it doesn't make them a killer. Put a dead cow fried up into a patty in front of me and I'll eat it, but I don't think of myself as a killer.





			
				Dictionary.com said:
			
		

> killer–_noun_
> *1. 	a person or thing that kills.
> 2. 	killer whale.*
> 3. 	a device used by a post office for printing cancellations on postage stamps.


How is something that kills something else not a killer? Carnivores kill other animals for food. Besides, they _are _vicious. You can't escape the fact that they are killers. Call it want you want, but they're still intelligent animals that hunt in packs and eat baby seals.


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## Old Catch (Nov 16, 2008)

ultraviolet said:


> How is something that kills something else not a killer? Carnivores kill other animals for food. Besides, they _are _vicious. You can't escape the fact that they are killers. Call it want you want, but they're still intelligent animals that hunt in packs and eat baby seals.


I think what he means is killing because of a violent nature, not killing to eat. I mean, we don't call ladybugs killer beetles and they do eat aphids. Or something.

Anyway, I'm not so hung up on the 'killer' tag because most things kill. I've even seen horses do it. I just don't like the name because they aren't whales and it bothers me.


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## ZimD (Nov 16, 2008)

BiPolarBear said:


> I think what he means is killing because of a violent nature, not killing to eat. I mean, we don't call ladybugs killer beetles and they do eat aphids. Or something.


That's what I meant, I just fail at wording when it's one in the morning.


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## Zennyo Ryūō (Nov 16, 2008)

Orca. It sounds more epic, compared to the seemingly evil "killer whale".


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## opaltiger (Nov 16, 2008)

Dragonclaw said:


> Doesn't Orcinus Orca mean Whale from Hell though? It doesn't really make that much difference.


How would two words obviously deriving from the same root be able to mean two totally unrelated things?


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## surskitty (Nov 16, 2008)

Orca.


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## Dragonclaw (Nov 17, 2008)

opaltiger said:


> How would two words obviously deriving from the same root be able to mean two totally unrelated things?


*shrugs* It's something to do with kill. Or maybe my source was wrong.



> Orca comes from the scientific name, Orcinus Orca, which is usually translated as 'demon of the underworld', or something like that. A more literate translation is, 'of or belonging to the kingdom of the dead'.


 Okay that one is more likely.


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